Keyboard for typographical machines



June 21, 1932.

LE ROY w. w'lLLls KEYBOARD FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed June 27, 1931 ATTORN EY 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 21, 1932.

LE ROY w. w|| |s KEYBOARD FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed June 27, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY June 21, 1932. LE ROY w. w|| |s KEYBOARD FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed June 27, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 jms W W ATTORNEY Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LE ROY W. WILLIS, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB-TO INTERTYPE CORPORA- TION', OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATIONDF NEW YORK KEYBOARD FOR' TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.

Application filed June 27,

The present invention relates to improvements in keyboard mechanism for typo graphical machines, and more especially'to those of the general class shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 436,532

granted September 16, 1890 to O. Mergenthaler, wherein matrices bearing type forming characters are released from a magazine under control of escapements which areactuated by'vertical reeds or actuating members which latter are operated by a keyboard mounted at the front of the machine, the matrices being assembled in a line from which a type bar or slug is cast.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide'improved means for mounta ing'the keyboard whereby it may be shifted to and from operative relation with: the escapement-actuating reeds and. other associiated parts of the machine and it may also be swung'to a convenient positionifor cleaning,

inspection or repair, or instantly removed from the machine, without disturbing or'in terfering with other parts of the'machine; More particularly, the inventionprovides improved supporting means for the keyboard which preferably compri'sesa cradle in which the keyboard is demountably and shiftably carried and cooperating mounting Iii ,gH means on the machine to support thecra'dle and the keyboard therein in active position and to shiftably'carry and supportthe cradle and the keyboard therein in inactive position where it may be tilted toprovide" convenient access to. its working parts or topermit removal of the keyboard. I

A further object of the invention'is to provide improved keyboard mounting means on the machine whereby, if desired, the keyboard alone or without a cradle may be shifted relatively to the machine and supported in active or inactive position and may be tilted while in inactive position for convenient access to the working parts or removed from the: machine.

Heretofore, in typographical. machines of the class referred to, the keyboard has been rigidly secured to the machine frame by bolts or the like, thus precluding its movement to orxfrom operative positionand rendering dif- 1931. Serial No. 547,344. 7

ficult its'removal, although it has been proposed to attach the keyboard to the machine on a horizontal or a Vertical pivot shaft with fixed bearings on the machine frame. While such a pivotal :mounting of the keyboard would 'make possible a swinging movement of. the keyboard, such'swinging movement,

in some instances, would be precluded because of obstructions, on the machine, suchfor ex ample as aside keyboard which is frequently used and which if present would prevent swinging of the main keyboard sufliciently far to afford the desired access to the parts thereof. Moreover, the keyboardcannot be swung to and fromoperative relation with the escapement-actuating reeds abouta fixed axis without dividing these reeds, which are usually continuous, into sections which, however, is objectionable since they must be sub.- sequently brought into and maintained in exact alinement with each other and each reed section mustbe brought into proper working relation with its cooperating part of the machine, and furthermore, wear at the several points of contactat the upper and lower ends of'each reed section results in unsatisfactory operation. The present invention enables the keyboard to be shiftedto and from operativeposition in machinesemploying the usual continuous'vertical reeds, and it is also applicable to machines having reeds which aredivided into sections.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the keyboard and the adjacent portions of a typographical machine'of the cl'assreferred to and embodying the present invention, the keyboard being shown in its normal operative position;

r Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but show'- Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the' line 77 of Fig. 6 and looking forwardly.

Similar parts are designated by similar reference characters in the different figures.

The invention is shown inthe present in stance applied to a typographical machine of the class hereinbefore referred to, 1 representing a portion of the main frame of the machine, 2 the keyboard which may be of the usual construction having key levers 3 and drive gears 4 to operate the usual cam rollers, the keyboard mechanism usually used in machines of this class being generally similar to that shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,734,922 granted Nov. 5, 1929. Vertically extending reeds or escapement-actuating devices 5 are mounted in a frame 6 or otherwise guided to reciprocate verticallyon the machine frame, the upper ends of these reeds cooperating with the matrix releasing escapements for the matrix magazines in the upper portion of the frame, as is usual and well known in the art, and these reeds, which are usually continuous, extend downwardly so that their lower ends project into the keyboard assembly as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the lower extremities of the reeds being located in position to contact with the actuating cam frames in the keyboard, as is well known and disclosed in said patent.

According to the present invention, the main frame of the machine is provided with a pair of keyboard supporting brackets 7 which project forwardly therefrom, these brackets being either bolted to or formed integrally with the mainframe, and each of these brackets is formed with a horizontally extending upper edge and with a slot 8 which extends forwardly and rearwardly, the slot having an opening'9 in its upper side which extends to the upper edge of the bracket. The forward end of each bracket is formed with a downwardly'and forwardly sloping surface 10, these sloping surfaces of both brackets lying in the same plane.

a In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a skeleton frame or cradle 11 is provided which has side members which may be united at the back as shown in Fig. 4

for. lifting the assembling elevator of the machine, is fitted, and the forward ends of the side members of the cradle are formed with open topped bearings 15 in which the shaft 14: may rest, said shaft thus rcmovably or demountably supporting the forward end of the keyboard in the cradle, and the rear portion of the keyboard is supported in the cradle by a shaft 16 which, in this form of the invention, is provided with means for raising and lowering the rear portion of the keyboard and thereby carrying the operating mechanism therein to and from cooperative relation with'the escapement-actuating reeds. In the construction shown, the shaft 16 is rotatably mounted in bearing lugs 17 which are attached to or formed as parts of the side members of the cradle, and the shaft 16 has crank arms or eccentric portions 18 fixed thereon by pins or other suitable means, these eccentric portions being located between the side members of the cradle and having rollers 19 on their ends which are arranged to engage and ride against the'underside of the keyboard frame 13. A crank 20 is fixed on one end of the shaft 16 outside of the cradle and provides means for rotating said shaft to elevate or lower the magazine within the cradle, it being understood that when the crank has swung in one direction into the position shown for example in Figs. 1 and 4, the eccentric portions 18 will be swung upwardly,thereby-elevating the rear portion of the keyboard and thus bringing the keyboard mechanism into cooperative relation with the escapement-actuating reeds as shown in Fig. 1, and when the crank is swung in the opposite direction, the eccentric portions 18 will be swung downwardly and the rear portion of the keyboard will be thus permitted to descend until its frame rests directly on the shaft 16 as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, the rear end of the keyboard being thus lowered to withdraw its mechanism from operative relationship with the escapement-actuating reeds and placing the top of the keyboard in a position where it may be shifted. without interference from the reeds. I

The shaft 16 carried by the cradle extends through the slots 8 in the supporting brackets 7 and it is shiftable forwardly and rearwardly or in a direction transversely of its axis in said slots, and to facilitate its movement'in said slots, roller sleeves 21 are preferably mounted revolubly on said shaft, said sleeves being slightly smaller indiameter than the height of the slots, and these roller sleeves may pass through the openings 9 in the tops of the slots to permit the keyboard and the cradle to be placed on or removed from the supporting brackets 10. The crank 20 is preferably utilized not only as a means for rotating the shaft 16 to raise or lower the rear portionof the keyboard in the cradle but to also hold said shaft against rotation while the-keyboard in: itstnornral, elevated positionztand. to holdthe keyboardiand, cradle against forward movement out of itsnormal operative position, the crankibeing: provided for this purpose with'a handle 22' preferably in;the form of, a plunger which is mounted reciprocably in the crank and is provided with a head23 which is arranged toengage in the forward end of theslot 8 underxthe action of a spring'24 when the crankis swung into a position to elevate the rear, portion of the-keyboard andxthe shaft 16-is at. the-rear ends of the slots 8, the crank 20 and the head 23 lthereon then locking'the crank against rotation and also preventing forward movement of the shaft 16 in said slots,thekeyboard being shown'in such operative position in Fig. 1.

The operation, according to this form of the invention, is as follows When the keyboard is inoperative position on the machine, the spring. plunger on the crank 20 locks the shaft 16 against rotation so that the rear. portion ofthe keyboard will ,be held in its raised or normal operative position by the upwardly extendingeccentric portions 18 while the forward end of the keyboard will be supported by the shaft 14 which rests in the open bearings 15 of the cradle, and since the shaft 16 is held at the rear ends of the slots 8 by the spring plunger in the crank 20, the keyboard will be positioned in operative relation with the escapement-actuating reeds 5 so that they will be actuated by depression of the keys 3. Then it is desired to inspect the working parts of the keyboard mechanism or to remove the keyboard from the machine for cleaning, repair or other purpose, it'is only necessary to retract the spring plunger 22to withdraw the head 23 thereon from the adjacent slot 8 to unlock the crank 20, and to then turn'the crank downwardly whereby the eccentric portions or crank arms 18 fixed onthe shaft16 will rotate into the full line position shown in Fig. 2, thus allowof .the' rear portion of the keyboard causing.

the keyboard to clear the lower ends of the escapement-actuating reeds. After. lowering of the rear of the keyboard,it' can be drawn forwardly on the-roller sleeves 21 to the position shown by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig.2, the keyboard being then in a horizontal position, and when the keyboard reaches this position, the cradle overhangs, the .upper edges of the supporting brackets 7 .so that the keyboard and its cradle can be swung downwardly about the shaft 16 as an axis into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the cradle carrying the keyboard coming to rest against the downwardly andforwardly sloping ends 10' of the supporting brackets and 5 thereby supporting the keyboard in ed out of the cradle either while the keyboard and cradleare in thedot-and-dash line position or in the dotted line position shown in Fig.2, this being accomplished bymerely lifting the shaft 14 out of the open topped bearings 15 at the forward ends of the cradle and-lifting the keyboard from the rollers 19 on the eccentric portions 18. Return of-the keyboard to its cradle and restoring of the keyboard and cradle to normal operative position in the machine may be accomplished by a reversal of the operations described. While the keyboard occupies the downwardly and forwardly tilted position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the working parts therein are 'fully accessible for inspection, cleaning or minor repairs, the movement of the keyboard to and from operative position to bring it into such a tilted position being easily. accomplished without interference from or interfering with any other parts of the machine.

Accurate registration between the escapemei1t-actuating reeds 5 and the actuating cam yokes within the keyboard is insured bybevelling or tapering the portion of the keyboard which receives the lower end of the frame, or guide bar6 as shown at 25, these tapered surfaces cooperating'with the ends of the frame or guide bar 6 as the rear portion of the keyboard is raised into operative position, and by'providing bevelled or tapered surfaces 26 on the keyboard to position the reed guiding frame in a forwardly and rearwardly direction relatively thereto when the keyboard is raised into its normal operative position. I

The present invention is also applicable to machines having divided-or sectional escapement actuating reeds 5 and 5 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 whereby the keyboard may be movable to and from operative position and swingable on a horizontal axis. In this instance, a cradle such as that shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive maybe/used without the eccentric portions 18 and crank 20, since the divided reeds would permit removal of the keyboard from beneath the reeds without the necessity of lowering the keyboard. It is preferable however to provide the keyboard frame 27 with a; pair of brackets 28 and to extend a shaft 16? therethrough, this shaft extending through the slots 8 in the supporting'brackets 7, and having roller sleeves 21 thereon to operate in the. slots 8,.and a latch 29 is preferably pivoted to the outer side of each bearing bracket 7 and these latches are arranged to engage the forward side of the shaft 16 when the latter is at the rear ends of the slots 8 and thereby lock this shaft in such position, the keyboard being then in its normal operative position and the latches remaining in holding position by gravity. In this form of the invention, when it is desired to inspect the working parts within or in rear of the keyboard, it is only necessary to lift the latches 29 whereupon the keyboard may be drawn forwardly on the roller sleeves 21 and the keyboard may be either permitted to rest in the dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 6, or the keyboard can be tilt-ed into ardownwardly and forwardly inclined position as shown by the dotted lines in said figure, the keyboard frame then resting on the downwardly and forwardly sloping forward ends 10 of the supporting brackets 7. Also, while the keyboard is shifted into the horizontal dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 6, it may be easilylifted out of the machine by passing the shaft 16 and the roller sleeves thereon upwardly through the openings 9 in the upper sides of the slots 8. The magazine may be returned to the machine and restored to its normal operative position therein by reversalof the operations just described, and upon restoring the magazine to its normal operative position, the

latches 29 are swung back into the position shown in Fig. 6, thereby locking the shaft 16 against forward motion in the slots 8. Accurate lateral positioning of the keyboard is insured by the bearing lugs28 which, as shown in Fig. 7, are positioned between the bearing brackets 7 and bear on the inner sides thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a typographical machine having a set of matrix releasing members mounted thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, and means supporting the keyboard to. shift transversely of said members to remove it from operative relationship therewith and to swing into an angular position relatively thereto.

3. In a typographical machine having a set of matrixreleasing members mounted there on, a keyboard for controlling said members,

i and pivot means having a horizontal axis which is shiftable transversely relatively to said members forsupporting the keyboard to shift to and from operative relation with said members and to tilt into an inclined psition.

4. In a typographical machine embodying a frame having a set of matrix releasing members mounted thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, and means for shiftably and tiltably mounting the keyboard on said frame comprising a horizontal pivot secured to one of said parts and a horizontally extending guide onthe other part on which said pivot is relatively movable transversely, the keyboard being shiftable transversely, by the relative movement of said pivot on said guide, to remove it from operative relation with the matrix releasing members, and a support on said frame for sustaining the keyboard in an inclined position while said plvotis toward one end of said guide.

5. In a typographical machine embodying a frame having a set of matrix releasing members mounted thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, a horizontal shaft connected to the keyboard, and supports on the frame having horizontally extending slots in which said shaft is shiftable transversely to permit shifting of the keyboard transversely of said members to remove it from operative relation therewith.

6. In a typographical machine embodying a frame having a set of matrix releasing members mounted thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, a horizontal pivot shaft connected to the keyboard, and supports on the frame having horizontally extending slots in which said shaft is shiftable transversely and having sloping surfaces to engage and support the keyboard in an inclined position while said shaft is toward the ends of said slots adjacent to said surfaces."

7. In a typographical machine embodying a frame having a set of matrix releasing members mounted thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, and means for shiftably and removably mounting the keyboard on said frame comprising horizontal pivot means on one of said parts and horizontally extending slots in the other part in which said pivot means is shiftable and having openings through which said pivot means may pass to permit removal of the keyboard.

8. In a typographical machine having a frame and matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, supports on the frame having horizontal: and inclined surfaces on "their upper sides and ends on which the keyboard may rest in horizontal and tilted positions respectively, the keyboard being shiftable and tiltable relatively to said supports, and means forretaining the keyboard on said supports and permitting it to shift and tilt with respect thereto. V

9. In a typographical machine havinga frame and matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members,

means supporting the keyboard to shift forwardly out of operative relation with said members and to tilt into a downwardly and forwardly inclined position, and releasable means for retaining the keyboard in 0pera tive relation with said members.

10. In a typographical machine having matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, and a cradle supporting the keyboard to shift in a direction to withdraw it from operative relation with said members, said cradle being shiftable in another direction to remove the keyboard from said members.

11. In a typographical machine having a frame and vertical matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard to cooperate with the lower ends of said members for controlling them, and .a cradle carrying the keyboard and supporting it to shift vertically therein to carry it to and from operative engagement with said members, said cradle being shiitable horizontally with respect to the frame to remove the keyboard from beneath said members.

12. In a typographical machine having a frame and matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard for cont-rolling said members, and a cradle supported by the frame and having means toward one end to pivotally support the respective end of the keyboard and having means toward its opposite end for raising and lowering the respective end of the keyboard to carry it to and from operative relation with said members.

13. In a typographical machine having a frame and matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, a cradle supported by the frame and having means toward one end to pivotally support the respective end of the keyboard, and a shaft rotatably mounted in said cradle and having eccentric means thereon cooperative with the keyboard for raising and lowering it relatively to said cradle.

let. In a typographical machine having a frame and matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, a cradle supported by the frame having means toward one end to pivotally support the respective end of the keyboard and having means toward its opposite end for raising and lowering the respective end of the keyboard to carry it to and from operative relation with said members, and means cooperative with said raising and lowering means for holding the keyboard in raised position.

15. In a typographical machine having a frame and vertical matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard to cooperate with the lower ends of said members for controlling them, supports on said frame having horizontally extending slots, and a cradle carrying the keyboard and having a shaft rotatable therein and provided with means for raising and lowering the keyboard to carry it to and from operative relation with said members, said shaft being shiftable in the slots in said supports to permit removal of the keyboard from beneath said members.

16. In a typographical machine having a frame and vertical matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard to cooperate with the lower ends of'said members for controlling them, supports on said frame having horizontally extending slots, a cradle carrying the keyboard and having a shaft rotatable therein and provided with means for raising and lowering the keyboard to carry it to and from operative relation with said members, said shaft being shiftable in the slots in said supports to permit removal of the keyboard from beneath said members, and means cooperative with said shaft to hold it against rotation and against shifting in said slots.

17. In a typographical machine having a frame and vertical matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard to cooperate with the lower ends of said members for controlling them, supports on said frame having horizontally extending slots, a cradle carrying the keyboard and having a shaft rotatable therein and provided with means for raising and lowering the keyboard to carry it to and from operative relation with said members, said shaft being shiftable in the slots in said supports to permit removal of the cradle from beneath said members, and a crank on said shaft for rotating it, said crank having a catch thereon engageable in one of said slots to lock said shaft against rotation and against shifting in said slots.

18. In a typographical machine having a frame and matrix releasing members thereon, a keyboard for controlling said members, a cradle adapted to be supported on the machine frame, and supporting means on the cradle on which the keyboard rests and from which the keyboard may be lifted to remove it from the cradle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 7

LE ROY W. WILLIS. 

